Theo Burrell, Star Of ‘antiques Roadshow’ And A Cancer Research Advocate, Dies At 39

Theo Burrell, an “Antiques Roadshow” prima and crab investigation advocate, has died. She was 39.

A family personnel announced Burrell’s decease connected Instagram connected Saturday, writing, “It is pinch awesome sadness that I stock nan news that Theo passed distant peacefully surrounded by her family connected Wednesday afternoon. Neither she nor her aesculapian squad foresaw this happening rather truthful quickly.

“She was an unthinkable personification who fought difficult for her family, friends and raising consciousness of this sadistic disease,” nan station continued. “She saw life events for illustration her son’s first time astatine schoolhouse and her wedding that a small complete 4 years agone we thought she’d ne'er see.”

Burrell, calved Theodora Helen Burrell connected Sept. 1, 1986, was a ceramics and ornamental arts master connected nan BBC’s “Antiques Roadshow,” a reality bid that features antiques experts appraising family heirlooms, car shed waste gems and more. Off screen, she worked arsenic a master and auctioneer astatine Lyon & Turnbull, nan oldest auction location successful Scotland.

“One of nan things I emotion astir antiques is that they person survived truthful galore years, witnessing life changing events specified arsenic coronations & world wars,” Burrell wrote successful nan caption of an 1840s-era achromatic marble bust.

In June 2022, Burrell was diagnosed pinch an incurable, fierce Grade 4 encephalon tumor, and was told she had a twelvemonth to a twelvemonth and a half to live. She subsequently underwent encephalon surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy successful an effort to support nan crab astatine bay. In June 2023, she organized a star-studded auction to raise money for nan British crab investigation nonprofit nan Brain Tumour Charity and raised nan balanced of astir $93,500. She besides became a patron of nan kindness Brain Tumour Research.

“We are heartbroken that we person mislaid nan phenomenal, wished and genuinely inspiring Theo to this devastating disease,” Dan Knowles, main executive of Brain Tumour Research, said connected Instagram. “She perpetually inspired america pinch really large her bosom was and we will proceed connected our mission, driven by everything she taught us. Our thoughts are pinch her family, her friends and pinch each those who had nan privilege of knowing her.”

During a January 2024 BBC “Morning Live” appearance, Burrell said that six months earlier she was diagnosed, she started to get different symptoms including headaches, nausea, feelings of unit successful her caput and issues pinch her vision. After aggregate trips to various physicians and a CT scan, doctors recovered an astir 2-inch-diameter encephalon tumor successful nan correct broadside of her brain.

She said candidly astir her conflict successful nan media and crossed societal platforms, telling BBC, “I really felt that pinch a mini nationalist floor plan which I had from nan ‘Roadshow’ that if I could do thing bully pinch that, past I should. And I person watched different people, specified arsenic Tom Parker, who sadly mislaid his life to a glioblastoma, really activity truthful incredibly difficult erstwhile he was truthful sick to effort and make a quality for group for illustration me.”

Burrell’s family said successful nan connection announcing nan antiques enthusiast’s decease that nan crab organization provided “so overmuch comfortableness and spot to her successful her darkest moments.”

“But astir of each it provided dream and I deliberation what she would want astir of each is for different group to find dream successful her story. Hope that nan statistic aren’t gospel and that 1 time they’ll beryllium very different.”